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General David Petraeus, the commander of US and Nato forces in Afghanistan,
issued a candid apology yesterday after nine children were killed by
helicopter gunships. Local officials said that eight of the victims were
aged between 7 and 9. One boy was 12. A tenth critically injured child was
in hospital.

The general said that he was “deeply sorry” for the deaths and added that they
“should have never happened and I will personally apologise to President
Karzai when he returns from his trip to London this week”.

President Karzai said that the victims were boys collecting firewood and
condemned